Anyone running retrofit projector headlights?

If you have issues with snow buildup with the HID's you currently have I'd avoid an LED projector swap. It will be even worse as far as snow buildup on the headlight during snowy conditions.

 

I haven’t noticed a problem with snow/ice buildup. But that is a good point with the LEDs running cooler than HID bulbs.

 

It's also not as noticeable with a 2002 as it is with anything pre 97. The old style headlights are like a glove for snow.

 

MLED2.0 with Apollo 3.0 (Black)

 

I upgraded my 96 to JW Speaker 8910 headlights when I learned that they fit the 5x7 housings. They are just a tad too big on the back to fit perfectly, but I just backed off the mounting screws by a few millimeters and added washers. I also grabbed a H4 wiring harness to deal with Toyota's wiring peculiarities, and a load resistor for the high beam indicator on the dash. I used this video as a guide for the installation steps.

Unlike most LEDs these include heating elements to deal with the condensation and snow. And they're brighter than any other aftermarket lights I've seen, even most OEM projectors pale in comparison.

Expensive, but the best upgrade you can do for a 95.5-97. Or any first gen that has the front end conversion from a 95.5-97. A pair runs almost $700 direct from JW Speaker, or you can buy the same lights from Quadratec for $500 if you don't mind being limited to only the black housings.

If I wreck this 96 and am forced to replace with a 98-00 or 01-04, I will probably convert the front end to 95.5-97 just so I can keep using JW Speaker lights. With these I won't need to install separate fog lights, and maybe not even off-road lights, so that's a few hundred dollars saved that helps justify sinking so much into just the low/high beams.

 

20% black Friday deal is up on theretrofitaource. Anyone know which color butyl sealant to get?

 

TRS has a good discount right now. From what I'm reading in this thread, it looks like the Mini D2S bulb is one of two of the only bulbs that will fit 1st gens. Do I just install the projector and shroud inside the existing headlight housing? Is this legal in CA or can I get a ticket?

Whatever this guy's doing I want

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLdvRZUzs0

I'm confused on the ballasts and bulbs. If I want to run WHITE light, is that a matter of projector, ballast, or bulb? What do I get?

Is there a big difference between the 35w and 50w bulbs?

What harness do I need?

 

He's got the bigger fxrs on his in that vid. You open the headlights and instal the projector/shroud and then reassemble the lens on the headlight

 

Got it here

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/bixenon-morimoto-fxr-stage-3-CRK-FXR3?quantity=1

What bulbs/harness? I think I need 5000k-5500k bulbs for white light. Is there a big difference between the 35w and 50w ballast? Will 50w get me pulled over in CA?

 

Bump

 

THIS ^

I got some of the deals last year for black friday.

 

I did black... but I was blacking out the inside of my housings.

 

Best thinv to do is call TRS, there may be a bit of a hold, but they are really good at answering all the questions. I was a bit confused when I ordered all my stuff last year. One. call and it was solved.

 

What images are the ones where the low beam is on? High beam? I want to do what you did in the bottom right, in chrome, with a blue halo. Would the halos still be on when my headlights are shut off during the day?

 

Bottom right is running light. (I have clipped the day time running light wire so I can turn that off) With headlights fully on, the center gets brighter.

Bottom left is just demon eys on.

Top is signalling. The halo that is white in the bottom right pic is a switchback halo that changes to flashing amber when the signal or hazards are used.

 

I’m having a hell of a time getting my lens off the housing. I have some aftermarket housings from Amazon (not TYC). I broke the lip all to hell trying to get them apart. I followed TRS guide and use the “tool”. Hoping it’s just my cheap housing.

Any advice on taking the housings apart on the TYC?

They are coming this week

thanks

 

I just did that a a couple weeks ago with TYC housings. I preheated the oven to 175 (I think. Whatever TRS recommends in their install guide) and turned the oven off. Put the lights in for 10 min or so and used a few difference sizes of flat head screwdrivers to pry it open.

I’ve had good luck using a heat gun to heat up the sealant when installing the lens back on too for what its worth.

 

Also I think starting at a corner seems to be easier.

 

I love my HIDs. In my Tacoma I have Mini D2S 3.0 5000k 35W and Orbit shrouds. I'm getting ready to do some Mini D2S 5.0 in my Tundra with 5000k bulbs, 35W ballasts and Apollo 3 shrouds.

 

NOBODY EVER post this part

working on a clean wiring scheme